Improving basic access control
Valid from Pega Version 8.5
Pega Platform™ has implemented a new basic access control (BAC) to protect your application from unauthorized server calls from otherwise authenticated users.
For more information, see Access Control Checks.
Upgrade impact
After you upgrade to Pega 8.5, all the functionality in the model configurations that use auto-generated controls and actions continues to work as before. However, you must secure any customized JavaScript in your application layer that makes AJAX (server) calls by using registration or encryption mechanisms.
What steps are required to update the application to be compatible with this change?
After upgrade, to migrate custom JavaScript functionality, see Access Control Checks.
New JWT access token format: Authorized Access Token
Valid from Pega Version 8.5
Pega Platform™ is changing from using opaque tokens to using JSON Web (JWT) tokens and the JWT access token format: Authorized Access Token (AAT). An AAT enables a client application to validate the server for user permissions and authorizes a specific application to access specific parts of a user’s data.
The major benefits to using the JWT format are:
- The JWT is a self-contained token that has authentication information, expire time information, and other user-defined claims digitally signed.
- A single token can be used with multiple applications.
- The tokens are short-lived and can minimize damage if transport security is compromised, as the token signature is verified.
- As the token is verified with the signature, there is no need to verify against a database, thus reducing latency (usually important for Web APIs).
For more information, see Understanding authorized access tokens.
Tamper-proof Pega Web Mashup loading
Valid from Pega Version 8.5
To protect your application from hackers, Pega Web Mashup is now loaded in a more secure way. The system generates a channel ID in the mashup code for validation on the server, before passing the mashup request.
For more information, see Creating a mashup.
Upgrade impact
After an upgrade to Pega Platform 8.5, existing mashups, which do not have the channel ID parameter in their code, cannot load and users see the access control warning.
What steps are required to update the application to be compatible with this change?
If you need to maintain full availability of the mashup during the upgrade of the production environment, perform the steps in Migrating existing mashups.
Processes run by default when a stage is restarted
Valid from Pega Version 7.2
The Run on re-entry check box in Case Designer has been removed. As a result of this change, processes run by default each time that a stage is restarted. Users who previously had this check box cleared can use the Start when option in Case Designer instead to define the criteria for skipping a process.
For more information, see Adding a process to a stage.
New location for case-type settings
Valid from Pega Version 7.2
The configuration options for case-type settings have been moved from the property panel to the Settings tab in Case Designer. This change separates behavioral settings from life-cycle settings so that you can stay focused as you design your case types.
For more information, see Configuring case-type behavior.
Failed Robotic Assignments work queue type changed to Standard
Valid from Pega Version 8.5
The default Failed Robotic Assignments work queue type is now Standard. In previous releases, the default type was Robotic. For usage information, see Configuring a work queue for robotic automation.
Upgrade impact
After upgrading to Pega Platform 8.5 and later, you cannot save case types in which you configure the Queue for robot smart shape to route new assignments to the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue. Existing assignments that you routed to the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue are not affected.
How do I update my application to be compatible with this change?
As a best practice, do not use the Failed Robotic Assignments work queue in your custom implementations. Instead, configure the Queue for robot smart shape to route new assignments to a Robotic work queue. When possible, update existing case types to use the robotic work queues that you created in your application.
Updated Word merge support with Microsoft Silverlight plug-in
Valid from Pega Version 7.1.3
Starting in this release, Pega 7 features that integrate with the Word merge capability are now cross-browser. ActiveX controls (which are only compatible with Internet Explorer) have been replaced with Microsoft Silverlight. This plug-in must be downloaded separately from Microsoft because it is not shipped with Pega 7.
Common features that are affected by this change include the Specification form and Case Type landing page.
Prior to using these features, see the release note Word merge support with Microsoft Silverlight plug-in for more information about setting up their client systems.
Conversion of single-step assignments is no longer required
Valid from Pega Version 7.2
You no longer need to create a single-step assignment in a case type and then convert it to another supported step type. Instead, you can use the + Add step option in Case Designer to add any step type directly to a process in a stage. This change delivers a more consistent experience to users who are working in Case Designer and Process Modeler.
The following table lists the step labels in Case Designer that were updated to support this change.
Step label in previous versions | Step label in Pega 7.2 |
|---|---|
| Single-step assignment | Collect information |
| Approval | Approve/Reject |
| Attachment | Attach Content |
| Case | Create Cases |
For more information, see Adding a step to a process in a stage.
Label changes to field types in Case Designer
Valid from Pega Version 7.2
The following field types have been renamed in Case Designer to be consistent with Data Designer and other areas of the Pega 7 Platform.
| Label in previous versions | Label in Pega 7.2 |
|---|---|
| Text | Text (single line) |
| Text (multiple lines) | Text (paragraph) |
| Check box | Boolean |
| Date and time | Date & time |
| Date | Date only |
| Drop down | Picklist |
| Number (integer) | Integer |
| Number (decimal) | Decimal |
Users who upgrade from versions prior to Pega 7.2 do not have to take any action because the label changes are cosmetic and do not affect the underlying controls or property types that support form building.
For more information about the field types that you can use when building a form, see Storage and display of single-value fields.